268 THE MERYCOIDODONTID/E 



suprasylvii posterior as in Sus; course of presylvian sulcus; possible continuity of coronal and splemal sulci in 

 one specimen. Thus the appropriateness of Leidy's original designation of Oreodon as a "ruminating hog" 

 becomes increasingly evident as the endocranial characters are summarized. 



It will be noted that in point of numbers the suilline exceed the ruminant endocranial resemblances in the 

 above list but it remains questionable which should be given the greater weight. . . . 



The endocranial configuration of Oreodon presents no characters that can be considered as specific fer se. 

 Their specificity depends upon their presence in combination with the generalized and determinate artiodactyl 

 features, and in this sense the following apparently specific characters have been noted: extreme rostral position 

 of the trigonum Sylvii of Holl; presence of a lobulus petrosus cerebelli. 



To recapitulate, it is evident from a study of its endocranial morphology that Oreodon was a primitive, 

 macrosmatic, artiodactyl ungulate presenting a curious blending of suilline and ruminant characters; and further 

 that any edentate (e.g., Oryctero-pus) resemblances are of a superficial nature and wholly confined to the 

 rhinencephalon. 



